1 Kings 11:33
ESV
because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.
NIV
I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.
NASB
because they have abandoned Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and keeping My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did.
CSB
For they have abandoned me; they have bowed down to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways to do what is right in my sight and to carry out my statutes and my judgments as his father David did.
NLT
For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees and regulations as David his father did.
KJV
Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
NKJV
because they have forsaken Me, and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and My judgments, as did his father David.
What does 1 Kings 11:33 mean?
The prophet Ahijah has just told Jeroboam that God is going to give him rule over the northern tribes of Israel. Solomon's son will be left with only one (1 Kings 11:30–32). Now, Ahijah tells Jeroboam why. Solomon loved Yahweh, the God of Israel (Exodus 3:15), when he was younger (1 Kings 3:3). The older he gets, the more he's drawn to worshiping his wives' gods (1 Kings 11:1–6). In his first twenty-four years as king, Solomon built and furnished the temple, the permanent dwelling place of the ark of the covenant (1 Kings 6–7). Now, Solomon is building shrines to demon-gods (1 Kings 11:7–8).Sidon is a seaport north of Israel. Ashtoreth, or Astarte, is the Phoenician variant of Ishtar and the ancestress of Aphrodite. The Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot and his daughters. Milcom is also called Molech.
Solomon may also be leading the people into idol worship. Scholars differ about whether the proper translation in this verse is that the kingdom will be taken because of what "they have" done or what "he has" done. "They" could refer to Solomon and his wives or to all of Israel. "He" would refer to Solomon alone. It's likely that Solomon, at least by example, has led others in Israel into idolatry.
Ahijah tells Jeroboam that if he remains faithful to God's Law, he'll have a long dynasty (1 Kings 11:38). But Jeroboam doesn't trust God's word. When he realizes that the temple is next to Rehoboam's palace, he makes two golden calves for his people to worship. The idols keep his people from returning to Jerusalem and potentially reuniting with Judah (1 Kings 12:25–33). It also severely shortens his own dynasty.
Solomon's dynasty will keep the throne of Judah. Eventually, the line of David will see Jesus rule forever (1 Kings 11:34–36; Revelation 11:15). Jeroboam doesn't have that kind of protection. Because of those calves, Jeroboam's line won't last past his son's two-year reign (1 Kings 15:25–29).
